The management and staff of Rayleigh Waterworks District (RWWD) regret to inform the public that our Chairman and dear friend, James Kowalchuk or “Jim” as he was fondly called, has passed away on November 30th.
Jim’s strong sense of community led to his involvement with RWWD; first, was to fill a one-year term trustee position in 2015. He was then re-elected in 2018 and had since assumed the role of Chairman until his passing. He had a mechanical background, was a retired teacher, a previous a volunteer firefighter and had been involved in various community activities throughout the years of his life.
Jim had all the attributes of a good chairman and a good co-worker. Openness, impartiality, objectivity, openness, and tactfulness were among the many traits and characters that he had shown to everyone he had worked with. He had a good understanding of RWWD operations and continued to keep his knowledge updated with RWWD’s key networks including the Rayleigh residents, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing in Victoria, and RWWD’s main vendors. He was the mind and muscle behind the recent community septic upgrade’s success.
Jim had a great sense of fun and enjoyed the adventure of outdoor activities such as fishing, biking, and camping – a life lived to the fullest. He had a great rapport with everyone and was always friendly and approachable.
Jim’s death is a major loss to the community of Rayleigh and to his co-workers at RWWD. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife Mary and his two children during this very difficult time.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Glen Desjardine Shared on December 9, 2020 "I’ve had the pleasure of working along side of Jim for his entire tenure with RWWD. He was passionate about his community and loyal to all those that would lend him an ear. He developed a great relationship with all the RWWD staff and took great interest in everything they did. I will personally miss Jim and our lengthy conversations. He did have a gift for talk. From my family, our thoughts are with Jim’s wife Mary and their family."
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Fe Villanueva Shared on December 10, 2020 "Jim was my mentor when I first came to RWWD and took over the Administrator/Financial Officer position last year. He was very supportive and welcoming to all the questions that I would throw at him. He helped ease the transition process. Indeed, he had a gift for talk. He enjoyed going around talking to everyone at RWWD. He enjoyed talking a lot about how things were going at work and about other things in life like family. He would always provide valuable insights that a boss, a father, and a friend would. He was always sensitive to other people’s needs, including the staff members and trustees in RWWD – and for that, he was well respected by all of us who have worked with him. To his wife, Mary, and the rest of his family, our thoughts and prayers are with you."
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Barry Deacon, Pam Speer Shared on December 13, 2020 "Sincere condolences Mary. I’m at a loss for words. Do want you to know we’re thinking of you and family. Jim will be missed."
"We are sorry for your pain in Jim's passing. May God watch over your family."
"Mary, so sorry to hear of your loss, my thoughts are with you at this very difficult time."